How to permanently remove the update icon on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

The update icon on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most common problems that MIUI users face. The red icon with a number in the status bar or the notification "Available System Update" appears even after turning off automatic verification, interferes with work and spoils the appearance of the interface. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to remove this icon forever - from simple settings to technical solutions for experienced users.

It’s important to understand that MIUI is aggressively reminding of updates as Xiaomi strives to keep firmware up to date on all devices.However, constant notifications can be annoying, especially if you deliberately refuse to upgrade due to the stability of the current version or lack of space. We tested all methods on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro and Mi 11 Lite models with MIUI 12.5-14, so the instructions are relevant for most modern devices of the brand.

Why does the update icon appear and can it be ignored?

The MIUI update icon is not just a notification, but part of the Updater system mechanism, which works at the Android kernel level, and it appears in three cases:

• 📥 A new software update is available – the system has found a new version MIUI through OTA (airborne).
• ⏳ Update downloaded but not installed – firmware file downloaded, but the user postponed installation.
• ⚠️ Error when checking updates - a malfunction in the service com.android.updater, which causes the icon to "hang".

Can we ignore this notice? Yes, but with reservations:

• ✅ If you have a version MIUI stable and satisfied with the functionality, forced updating is not necessary.
• ❌ If the icon appears due to an error in Updater (404 or 500 error code), ignoring it can lead to increased battery consumption – the system will constantly try to check for updates.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with an unlocked bootloader (bootloader), forced removal of the icon through ADB Deleting system files may result in loss of warranty, Xiaomi considers such actions to be interference with the software.

Method 1: Disable notifications about updates in settings

The safest and most recommended method is to disable notifications from the system app Updater.This won’t remove the icon completely, but it will stop appearing in the status bar and on the lock screen.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type “Update” and select System Update (or Updater).
3. Slip on Notifications and turn off all switches (including Show icons).
4. Go back and press the Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

This method works on 90% of devices, but has a limitation: if the update is already downloaded, the icon can remain in the notification bar until the reboot. To completely remove it, go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and click Delete the downloaded packet (if the button is active).

Check out the current version of MIUI in About Phone

Make a backup copy of important data

Connect to Wi-Fi (if you plan to download updates later)

Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Resetting the System Update application data

If disabling notifications didn’t help, the next step is to reset the Updater app’s data and cache.This will delete all temporary files, including information about available updates, and reset the icon’s state.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → System Update.
2. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.
3. Return to the main System Update menu and check if the icon has disappeared.

After the reset, the system can check the updates again on the next Internet connection to prevent this:

• 🔌 Turn off mobile data for Updater in traffic settings.
• 📵 Use In-Air mode for 5-10 minutes after resetting – this will interrupt the automatic check.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi K40) Resetting Updater data may result in the loss of update history.If you want to keep information about past firmware, take a screenshot of the System Update screen before resetting.

Regularly, immediately after the release of the new version

Only if there are critical bugs

I never use custom firmware.

I update every six months.-->

Method 3: Disable automatic update checks via ADB

For experienced users who are ready to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there is a way to completely block the system-level update check, the most radical method that is guaranteed to remove the icon, but requires a connection to a computer.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal in macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Run the command to disable automatic verification: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updater
4. Reboot your smartphone.

After that, the Updater app will be disabled and the update icon will disappear. To return everything back, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.android.updater

Method 4: Manually remove the update file (for root users)

If you have root rights (e.g., through Magisk), you can manually delete the update file that is stored in the system folder, which is suitable if the icon appears because of an already downloaded but not installed OTA package.

Step-by-step:

1. Install any file manager with root support (such as Solid Explorer or Root Explorer).
2. Cross the path: /data/ota_package/ or (for new versions) MIUI) /cache/ota/
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension (e.g, miui_*.zip).
4. Clear /cache/recovery/ from temporary files.
5. Reset the device.

If the folders ota_package or ota are empty, but the icon remains, check for files in:

/data/app/com.android.updater-*/

Deleting system files without root can cause system failure, so this method is recommended only for advanced users.

Method 5: Using third-party applications (without root)

If you don't want to mess with ADB or system settings, you can use third-party utilities that block notifications from Updater.

• 🛡️ App Ops – allows you to disable individual permissions for system applications (including checking for updates). 4PDA.
• 🔔 Notification History – captures all notifications so you can manually remove Updater icons.
• 🚫 Disable Service – Disables background services MIUI, check-in OTA (Requires Xposed Framework for older versions of Android).

How to work with App Ops:

1. Install the application and grant it permission through ADB (Command: adb shell pm grant com.limbo.ops android.permission.GET_APP_OPS_STATS).
2. Find the System Update in the list.
3. Turn off the permissions "Show notifications" and "Work in the background".

⚠️ Apps like App Ops may stop working after major updates MIUI (For example, if you switch from version 13 to version 14, you will need to reconfigure or find alternatives.

💡

If the update icon appears after the reboot, try disabling the com.xiaomi.market (Mi App Store) service - sometimes it indirectly triggers an OTA check.

What to do if nothing helps: radical measures

If all of these methods fail, there are two extreme options:

1. Installing custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS) will completely remove MIUI with all its notifications, but will require unlocking the bootloader and losing warranty.
2. The retracement to the old version of MIUI via Fastboot. Some users report that after a downgrade from MIUI 14 to MIUI 13, the update icon stops appearing, but it is risky - there may be bugs with the camera or sensors.

Before you resort to radical measures, check:

• 🔍 Are there any viruses or malware that mimics update notifications (check out Malwarebytes).
• 📡 Is the icon connected to a specific Wi-Fi network (for example, a corporate one where updates are blocked).

💡

Before installing custom firmware, be sure to check its compatibility with your Xiaomi model on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum. Version mismatch can lead to a "brick" (complete inoperability) of the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the update icon on Xiaomi